Beautiful and foreign. And we’re not talking about Petra Nemcova’s next or last travel destination. The founder of Happy Hearts Fund isn’t simply a gorgeous person on the outside (though she turns heads everywhere she goes), but a kind soul and world traveler. She’s up in the air at least twice a week. Between her regular overseas commutes, we met up with the stunning Czech supermodel when she came through New York City – and she shared some of her favorite travel tips with us.
Galavante: What’s your favorite vacation destination?
Petra Nemcova: For me, it’s Haiti. There’s a beautiful island called Île à Vache, with a lake in the middle. You can go there by boat and have lunch on the island’s sandbars. There is white sand, white beaches. You can relax and really recharge and be with nature, yet there’s a lot of culture so you don’t get bored.
Galavante: Are you usually a light or heavy packer?
Petra Nemcova: I’m a light packer because I travel every second or third day – two to three countries a week. With that, you don’t want to travel too heavy. I have traveled for two weeks with just carry-ons. When I achieve that, I’m like, “Yes! It happened.”
Galavante: What’s in your carry-on bag?
Petra Nemcova: A lot, but it depends on the occasion, really. Wherever I’m going, there’s a plan for every event. If it’s business meetings, if it’s an event, or if it’s just casual – there’s clothes for each, just in case my suitcase doesn’t arrive.
Galavante: What’s your favorite dish, from any country?
Petra Nemcova: I love Asian food, Thai food. There’s actually a Thai dish where you take green leaves with a bit of sticky sauce and then you start putting different things on it, like shrimp, chopped coconut, onions and garlic and a few other things. You roll it and eat it, and the whole experience is so beautiful. You’re making your own meal with the leaf, and then you eat it and it’s very sweet. The blends of the different ingredients are such a flavorful, delicious meal and so experiential.
Galavante: Where would you like to visit that you haven’t been yet?
Petra Nemcova: I travel a lot, but there are so many other places that I want to go to! So many – but Mongolia is one of the top ones!
